Researchers from the University of Washington and the Samish Indian Nation released 20 lab-raised sunflower sea stars into the Pacific Ocean as part of an effort to restore the critically endangered species. The release occurred at a sheltered cove off Decatur Island in Washington state following a six-month delay caused by a local outbreak of sea-star wasting disease.
The species, which can grow more than 3 feet wide and possesses up to 24 arms, has seen its population decline by an estimated 90% due to a pandemic caused by Vibrio bacteria. Jason Hodin, a research scientist at the University of Washington's Friday Harbor Laboratories, stated that ocean heat waves linked to climate change helped the bacteria proliferate, leading to an outbreak that stretched from Mexico to Alaska. Scientists estimate that billions of sea stars across dozens of species have died from the disease, which causes the animals to dissolve.
The Samish Indian Nation, which monitors local kelp forest health, is partnering in the recovery effort because sunflower stars are a keystone species that prey on sea urchins. Without these predators, urchins can strip kelp forests bare. While the Biden administration previously proposed protecting the stars under the Endangered Species Act, the current Trump administration has not taken action, with a spokesperson for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stating the agency is prioritizing other "mission critical" work.
The scale of the loss is vast, with an estimated 5 billion sunflower stars dying during the recent pandemic. While the current release involved only 20 individuals, the success rate reported in May—where divers located 14 of the 20 stars healthy and growing—serves as a proof-of-concept for larger restoration efforts. The impact of these stars is significant even at small sizes; lab data shows that even juvenile stars can consume up to 18 sea urchins per day, which prevents the urchins from overgrazing the kelp that protects coastal infrastructure and local fisheries.
A person living in a coastal community may notice the long-term effects of this project through the stabilization of kelp beds, which can mitigate the impacts of rising sea levels. The recovery project also sets a precedent for tribal-led ecological restoration at a time when federal protections remain stalled. The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit in June to force federal action on endangered status. Looking ahead, a dozen labs along the West Coast are raising stars for additional releases, with small-scale operations scheduled for later this year in California and Oregon. The Samish Nation also expects delivery of a zero-emission research boat in 2027 to continue this work.